A Family for Christmas

By Amaka Azie

When an online scandal involving Gloria Alor goes viral and threatens her father's potential candidacy for president of Nigeria, she flees Abuja to hide out at her grandmother's in Enugu. Her mission? To lay low during the Christmas holidays, and above all, to stay out of trouble until the elections are over. Which means staying far away from the sexy, single father next door, especially since her last relationship landed her in this unholy mess in the first place.

 

Forced by a family emergency to take leave from his job in Abuja, Ebuka Nweke returns home to Enugu. Suddenly faced with full custody of his son, he must sort out the legal issues, protect Nonso from heartbreak, and guide the boy through this devastating change in life. Not to mention, Ebuka needs to make better choices in his own personal life. First challenge? Stop obsessing over the high-spirited, garrulous, and thoroughly unsuitable woman staying with his mother's next-door neighbour.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amaka Azie
• Release date: Dec 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223415183

Book preview

One

Thirty-five missed calls. Gloria jumped out of bed in a panic and pulled out the top drawer of the bedside table. She rummaged inside until her fingers found her glasses.

Shoving them in place, she reached for her phone again. Why the hell would her brother call her thirty-five bloody times on a Saturday morning. What could be so important? She scrolled through the notifications hoping to find out what had him wound up.

Not a clue. Harry hadn’t left a single message. Typical.

With a hiss, she dialled his number. Putting her air pods in her ears, she waited for the line to connect.

What on earth is wrong with you, Gloria? her brother barked in her ear.

Gloria’s heart beat faster at the brashness of his tone. "Ahn ahn. You can’t even say good morning?"

"There’s nothing good about this morning o, Gloria. Are you determined to destroy Dad’s chances of running for president. You know that’s his aim, right?"

Gloria drew in a sharp breath, trying to control the burst of annoyance that exploded inside her chest. She breathed out slowly. What did I do now?

If she got paid for every time she had to ask her mother, brother or father this question, she would be on the Forbes list of billionaires. Her entire life, she always seemed to fall short of her family’s high expectations.

Like she was cursed or something, and it had started early. In primary school, she’d had to repeat two classes. How embarrassing to fall so far behind her classmates. From there, things continued downhill when she hadn’t scored high enough to get into Queen’s College. Only her father’s formidable connections had got her a place at FGC Enugu.

Her humiliation was complete when she sat for the JAMB and scored a measly 158 of the 200 points necessary for admission into any Nigerian university. Even her father’s connections couldn’t bail her out of that mess. His anger and disappointment still rang in her ears.

Do you know how humiliating that was for me? How many people I had to beg? Yet you couldn’t even gain admission to ESUT. And the VC is my second cousin, he’d lamented countless times.

Labelled a hopeless case that even her highly connected father couldn’t crack, Gloria had scurried abroad to further her education. While there, she’d worked hard to change her image in the family, managing to push herself to graduate with a degree in psychology from the University of London. Not that it had changed their minds. Instead of cheering her success, they all grumbled about how long it had taken her.

I guess you haven’t seen the social media blogs, especially Twitter, her brother said with barely concealed irritation. Although only four years older, he treated her like an infant, and it pissed Gloria off. She was twenty-eight for goodness’ sake. He shouldn’t be talking to her like this.

Please be direct, or I’ll hang up.

Go ahead. But hanging up won’t make the sex tape of you floating all over the Internet disappear. He let out a groan of exasperation that prickled her ears. Why do you insist on constantly embarrassing this family?

Gloria froze. Sex tape? Utter rubbish. Then, she laughed. Be serious, Harry. I’ve never made a sex tape in my life. So, just tell me why you really blew up my cell phone.

He grunted. You think I have time to play silly games with you? Check Blogville and see how your boobs and ass are hanging out on Instagram. Thank the good Lord for the censorship there. But on Twitter, you’re out there jiggling for the whole world to see.

Her heart jumped in her throat and took off in a staccato beat, causing a sharp pain in her chest. She felt physically ill. Sex tape? With whom? When? She’d ended her relationship with Richard a month before returning to Nigeria. She’d been home for five months now and had not been with anyone.

What’s wrong with you? How can you do something so stupid when you know Dad’s name is being passed around for president?

Gloria tuned out, her mind spinning in circles, as her brother continued his rant. She’d never made a sex tape, so how could there possibly be one? Maybe she was the victim of a Photoshop hoax, or ...

Had someone secretly videotaped her … Richard? Or maybe one of her other two exes? No way could it be Sule or Razack. Neither had the guts to do such a thing. And besides, she’d dated them years ago and was still friendly with both. They would never betray her like that.

Which left Richard, with whom she’d abruptly ended things. Not because he did anything so terrible really. It was just that after nine years in the UK, she’d wanted to return home.

Her brother’s heavy sigh brought Gloria’s mind back to the present. She should say something, but what? She hadn’t a clue what he’d been going on about while her mind spun like a whirling Dervish.

You know how hard it is for Igbos to make it in politics? Why add to Dad’s problems? Eh? he said.

Gloria swallowed hard. Are you sure I’m the one on the tape?

He harrumphed. "Of course, it’s you on the tape, with that good-for-nothing ex of yours. Bad enough you date outside your race, now everyone has to see the daughter of Anambra state’s exgovernor fucking a white man on camera. Alu! Such an abomination."

Oh, my God. It was Richard. What a vile bastard. Gloria swallowed hard, still unable to fully take it all in. That asshole had not only filmed their intimate moments without her consent, but also leaked it? Could he really be that callous?

I never made a sex tape, Harry, Gloria said. If it’s me in that video, I didn’t agree to it.

Consent or not, it’s flying around the Internet like a postman on a mission. Making a stop at everyone’s house.

Oh, God.

It’s bad, Gloria. Nnedi showed it to me this morning. It’s been viewed and re-tweeted so much, it’s gone super viral.

Jesus, she whispered. If Harry’s wife had seen it, the situation had spiralled out of control for sure. She barely knew what social media was.

Stretching her hand across the bed, Gloria reached for her tablet on the opposite bedside table. She quickly unlocked it and searched Twitter for her name. A tsunami of links promising clearer views of a sex tape featuring yours truly populated the screen. Fingers trembling, she clicked on the first one, praying it was all a huge mistake.

But there she was in all her glory—stark naked with Richard moving on top of her. Funny how his face was conveniently shielded, while hers stared straight back at her, contorted in the throes of passion. Short as the clip was—less than a few minutes—it left no doubt. Everyone would surely recognise her.

Gloria squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the images. When that didn’t work, she opened her eyes again and took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. What can I do to make it go away?

Nothing. I’ve already contacted our team of lawyers to try and get it off the net. Hopefully by tomorrow, we can stop the video from circulating. He paused. But I’m afraid too many people have already seen and downloaded it. Let’s just hope neither Dad nor Mum sees it.

Oh, God! This couldn’t be happening.

After years of continually disappointing her parents with poor grades and bad decisions, she thought she’d turned a corner with them. After all, she returned to Nigeria with an actual degree.

And without a baby bump or actual baby in tow, like they’d surely feared.

They had gradually begun to trust her with more responsibilities, even offering her a job as a member of regional support staff in the family’s airline business Astute Air. If they got wind of this sex tape, she’d be back in the doghouse with them.

Chai! What a mess.

Listen, Gloria, just lay low and stay out of the public eye, her brother advised in a gentler tone. Out of sight is out of mind. Nigerians will forget this as soon as the next scandal comes along.

Gloria nodded vigorously even though he couldn’t see her. I promise. I’ll lay low and keep out of trouble.

How many times had she made such a promise ... to her parents, her older siblings, her grandmother? Too many to count. Yet, wherever she went, trouble nipped hot on her heels. From school suspensions for one silly offence or the other to her arrest in London two years ago for drug possession. Didn’t matter that she hadn’t been the one with the drugs, but just an attendee at a party with Richard where drugs were being passed around like sweets. She’d had to own it.

A one-year suspended sentence had set her straight. No matter the peer pressure, she never allowed herself to be tricked into attending wild parties again. Criminal records were forever.

Since then, she’d been trying her best to turn a new leaf. She’d set boundaries for friends who only wanted to take advantage of her and stopped running with the wrong crowd. She knew right from wrong, but sometimes, she just couldn’t seem to say no to her friends. Craving acceptance caused her to make wrong decisions. But not anymore.

Leaving the UK to come back home and start afresh was the best thing she had done for herself. She’d ditched old friends and made new level-headed, ambitious ones. She’d started working for the family business and had even won Employee of the Month just two weeks ago. How on earth could she come back from this if her parents came across the video?

It’s best you go home to Enugu and stay with Grandma until the story blows over, Harry said, lulling her from her musings.

What? For how long? Gloria burst out. A cemetery had more life in it than Enugu. Such a boring place. I can’t just up and leave. What about my job, my friends? And what will I do there. I won’t⁠—

You don’t have a choice, Gloria. The video is damning, Harry shot back. The press will be on your ass. And Dad’s. Doing anything they can to derail his candidacy. Do you want to be what ruins his chances?

Gloria’s heart somersaulted in her chest. Of course, she didn’t. Her father was a decent man with impressive plans to dig Nigeria out of the economic hole the country had sunken into. Everyone called him the hope of Nigeria. She couldn’t let a personal scandal destroy his chances.

Okay, she said with a gulp.

What harm could it do to lay low in the eastern part of Nigeria until things blew over? She’d schooled in Enugu and had often visited her maternal grandmother while on holiday. And though it would bore her to tears, Mama Caroline’s massive five-bedroom mansion, situated in a quiet residential area, would be the perfect place to hide away from the prying eyes of Abuja media and their constant hounding of the children of politicians.

I’ll book a flight as soon as possible, she said, her sad tone sounding defeated even in her own ears.

Do that. And please keep out of trouble.

Gloria nodded as she whispered an affirmative response.

"Ngwanu, later," he said, then cut the line before she could reply.

Her brother’s lack of empathy for her plight didn’t surprise her. He and their father were birds of a feather. Prim, proper, and uptight as a constipated rectum. Situations were either black or white to them. No greys for the Alor men.

As the firstborn of three children, Harry acted like a substitute father and often spoke to his two younger sisters like he spoke to his own son. It pissed Gloria off. However, this was hardly the right moment for her to call him out.

Blood boiling with rage and exasperation, she scrolled through her contacts and dialled Richard’s number.

Hey, sexy. How are— His voice came through as the lazy drawl that used to turn her on.

Now, it made her stomach churn with anger.

Sexy, my ass, she said, cutting off his bullshit. Why the hell did you videotape us having sex without my consent? You know it’s a crime, don’t you?

Chill, Babe, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Inhaling deeply to keep herself from throwing her phone to the wall, Gloria clenched her jaw. Don’t act dumb, she gritted through clenched teeth. There’s a video circulating of us having sex. I know I didn’t give my consent to be taped, so why does it even exist?

Babe … it’s not even like that. I videoed us by accident and⁠—

Do I look like I was born this morning, Richard?

It’s true. My phone was on when we were … shagging. And it accidentally went to video.

Gloria grunted. So why leak it?

I didn’t, Glo Baby, he drawled, clearly finding her predicament amusing. It was my new babe. She caught me watching it and went ballistic. I can’t believe the bitch posted it online.

Confusion snatched Gloria’s voice from her. She didn’t know which made her angrier— Richard’s nonchalance about something so damaging to her. Or, if he was telling the truth, that he was just that stupid and careless.

I swear, Glo Baby, I would never do anything to hurt you purposefully, he continued. You’re the love of my life. I keep dating Nigerian girls, trying to find you in them. Can I see you?

Unable to withstand any more of his foolishness, her speech made a speedy recovery.

Goodbye, she said, cutting the line.

Scrolling down to the settings, she blocked his number. She should have done this weeks ago.

Especially after the night he tried to lure her into phone sex at 2:00 a.m.

With enraged determination, she also blocked him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. She blew out a slow sigh as she tossed her phone back on the bed.

How had she ever found Richard sexy? Yes, he was physically stunning. Tall and athletic with a face that looked as if carved by Michelangelo. Combined with his long, blond hair and eyes blue as the Indian Ocean, he was a Roman god sculpture brought to life. Too bad that he was also an unemployed pothead who spent all his time smoking and complaining about the system and his rich family that shunned him.

Gloria shook her head. If she ever dated again, it would be different. She couldn’t keep making the same mistake and expecting different results. So, the next time a good-looking man came her way, she’d make sure he had something more substantial backing up his pretty face before giving him the time of day.

She rose to her feet slowly. Time to pack for her trip east. Hopefully, she would get a flight out before Monday.

Two

Ebuka couldn’t believe what she was saying. Yet the document Amaka had handed him proved she was dead serious.

Is this some kind of joke? he said, shaking his head, still trying to figure out her angle. Please tell me you’re playing one of your ridiculous games to get me to cough up more child support.

Do I look like I’m laughing?

He paused. No, she didn’t. Amaka’s lips were drawn into terse lines, her eyes sparking flames at him as she stood with arms akimbo.

So, you’re actually giving up the parental rights to your son? Our child?

Yes, Ebuka. I’m done, she snapped. I’ve looked after Nonso for twelve years. Now it’s your turn.

"My turn? Are we